1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an in-home network and protocol for connecting consumer electronic devices. More specifically, the present invention relates to a network which uses a telephone line present in the home as a communication channel for transmitting information in accordance with a network protocol
2. Related Art
With the advent of the Internet and Internet Protocols (IP), there is now a standard for how general purpose computers, such as personal computers, workstations and servers can interchange data over the telephone system. However, such Internet Protocols have been limited to computers, and do not facilitate networking within a consumer's residence.
In addition to general purpose computers, a consumer's residence can also include consumer electronics devices. These consumer electronics devices can include, for example, televisions, VCRs, DVD players, audio systems (e.g., receivers, amplifiers, CD players, tape players and speakers), telephones, camcorders and digital satellite systems (DSS). Some of these devices are designed to be coupled to one another by dedicated communication channels during normal operation. For example, televisions, VCRs and DSS are typically designed to be coupled to one another by coaxial cable. However, there are particular groups of consumer electronic devices which are not typically designed to be coupled to one another. For example, telephones are not typically designed to be coupled to televisions. It would therefore be desirable to have a network for operably connecting a wide variety of consumer electronics devices to a single network within the consumer's residence. It would also be desirable if such network would facilitate the easy addition of additional consumer electronic devices.